Steam generating and discharging device



Oct. 25, 1927. 1,646,912

E. E. HODSHON STEAM GENERATING AND DISCHARGNG DEVICE Filed Aug. 6, 1926 ATTORNEY 5' Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,646,912 PATENT OFFICE.

EaNEs'r E; nonsnoir, or NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.

STEAM GENEBATING AND DIBCHABGING DEVICE. A

Original application illed lovember 27, 1925, Serial No. V71,719. Divided and this application :filed August l 6, 1928. Serial No. 127,614.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact and eflicient device adapted to receive a small charge of water, qllllickly convert it into steam and discharge t e steam in a given direction at low pressure and in a. dry condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compact steam generating and discharging device in the form of a unit .de-

signed particularly for use with a hat -banding apparatus shown in my application Serial No. 71,719. In the operation of said apparatus, a hat band and a strip of adhes1ve material, such as rubber cement, are

wound around the crown of a hat in superposed relation with the band outermost, and steam is directed against the band to heat the underlying adhesive material, soften it and cement the band to the hat. The present device is adapted to economically generate the steaml and to discharge it upon the band in a manner to facilitate the banding ope-ration and to Vavoid injury to the at. i

25, This application is a division of my application for patent filed November 27, 1925, Serial No. 71,719.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the device showing it disposed for steaming a hat band;

i Fig. 2 a bottom plan view of the discharge end of the device; and

Figs. 3 and 4 perspective views of certain details of the structure at the discharge end of the device.

Referring to the various parts of the aparatus by numerals, 1 designates a c 11nricalshell'. Disposed across one en of said shell is a plate 2 formed at its Inner face with an annular flange 3 which fits Aaround the end of the shell; Screws 4 secure the flange 3' to the shell. The plateJ 2 1s also integrally formed with a continuous flange 5 extending from the edges of its outer face. This flange 5 is square 1n outline and defines a discharge nozzle of slight depth 'but relatively large in cross section. A

helically coiled water pipe or tube 6 of small diameter is arranged longitudinally within the shell 1 and extends throughout the great- 'er vportion of the length thereof. Leading from one end of the coiled pipe 6 is a water feed pi e or tube 7 which extends outwardly' throng an opening in one side ofthe shell 1. The opposite end 8 of the coiled pipe 6 extends outwardly through an opening 9 formed in the end plate 2. This emerging end 8 is directed inwardly toward the center of the outer surface 1001ithe plate 2 and is formed with a discharge ,opening 11 in close proximity to said surface.

A heating unit extends into the shell 1 and includes al porcelain plug member 12 and a porcelain socket member 13. The plug member is in substantially the form of a hollow cylinder formed with a helical groove 14 around 'its outer surface. Wound in said groove is a'coiled resistance wire 15. One end of the socket member 13 fits within the shell 1 and into said end the plug member is threaded as at 16. The ends of the resistance coils lead to contacts within the socket member. These contacts are adapted to make electrical connections in the usual manner with circuit wires 17 which lead nto the outer end of the socket member. The plufr 12. extends centrally throughout the length of the shell 1 and bottoms against the end plate 2. Secured to the inner side of the plate 2 by means of 'a screw 18 is a small tapered porcelain plug 19 which is adapted to enter the end of the nlug member 12 and center it within the shell. The entire heating unit is held to the shell 1 bv a retaining cap 20 which encloses the socket member 13 and is threaded upon the end of the shell as at 21. Interposed between the outer end of the socket member and the cap is a spring washer 22 which yieldingly holds the unit 90 pressed inwardly against the end plate 2 and allows the various parts to expand slightly when heated.

Stretched across the enclosure formed by the ange 5 is a sheet of wire gauze 23. 95 .This sheet is folded back over the outer `straight sides of the flange and is held in lace by a split sheet metal clamping memr 24 which surrounds the flange and is adapted to be clamped against the gauze by a bolt 25 which is passed through outwardlyturned ears 26 formed at the split in the clamping member. Mounted to slide across the gauze-covered aperture defined by the ange 5 is-a rectangular sheet metal shield 105 27 formed with upturned side flanges 28 and with an upturned end flange 29. The side flanges 28 are adapted to slide over the sides of the clamping member 24 and are formed with elongated slots. Guiding and retalnein ing screws 31 are passed through thek slots ing 35. The pipe 33 leads to a source, not.

shown, of water under compressed air pressure and said pipe 1s provided with a manually operable valve 36 for controlling the admission of water to the tube 7.

In Fig. 1 the steam generating and discharge dev-ice is shown as disposed to direct steam upon the crown ofa hat H mounted upon 'a hat block. Woundaround the hat crown `are a ribbon or band R and a strip of V rubber cement C in superposed relation, with the band outermost. The generating and discharge unitvis supported, by means not shown in the present application, with its discharge end in close proximity to the hat band and the shield 27 is adjusted across the gauze-covered dischar e aperture to proper ly adjust the size of t e aperture with relation to thewidth of the band R. The shield is held in an adjusted position by tightening the screws 31. The discharge end of the unit bears against the hat brim and in order to protect the brim from the heat one side of the `split clamping member 24 is covefed'.

with a facing 37 of asbestos which contacts the brim. z l

When the valve 36 is opened, water flows from the pipe 33 through the restricted opening 35 into the feed pipe 7. This restriction opening is very small and so long as the valve remains open it ensures the delivery of water to the pipe 7 and its connected coils 6, 'in the form of a line stream of constant volume. The plate 2, the shell 1 and the -socket member 13 define a chamber which is intensely heated by the electrical coils 15. When the water enters the coils 6 within said chamber it is therefore quickly converted into steam. The steam is discharged through the openi 1l directly against the outer surface 10 o` the plate 2. The inner surface of the plate is exposed to the interior of the heating chamber within` the shell 1 and the plate is intensely heated. When the steam enters the nozzle enclosure defined by the plate 2, the flange 5 and the gauze 23, it expands, iows over the surfaces yof the plate and the flange and ^is heated thereby before it passes out through the gauze. This expansion and heating of the steam just before it is discharged is very desirable. The steam ows evenly through the gauze at low pressure over the width of the hat band instead of emerging in a concentrated high-pressure jet -which might in-y jure the workman and would heat the band unevenly. The heating of the steam just before discharge prevents it from condensing and precipitating drops of water upon the hat. The gauze 23 serves to catch any drippings of condensation which may occur when the device is operated before 'it has had time to become sutlicientl heated. The gauze also becomes heated as t e device is used, and assists in preventing condensation. The heat received from the steam penetrates through the hat band and softens the cement strip C beneath it. The cement is thusrendered adhesive so that it intimately unites the band to the hat. By rotating the hat block the entire length of the band is brought. beneath the device to receive the steam.

What I Iclaim is:

1. A steam generating and discharging unit comprisingv a tubular shell; aplate mounted upon one end-of said shell and said plate; an electric socket member mount-- ed to close the opposite end of said shell;

van insulation plug connected to said socket socket member defining a heating chamber, whereby steam will be generated within the coiled pipe and the plate will be heated to receive the steam as it is discharged from` the pipe and' heat Ait before it leaves the nozzle.

2. A steam generating and discharging unit comprising a plate; meansforminga closed'heating chamber at one face of said plate; means forming a steam discharge nozzle/at the opposite face of the plate; electric heatingmeans within the said chamber; and a coiled pipe disposed within the chamber to receive heat directly from said plate therein, the plate, the shell and the heating means and extending. from the vchamber intothe -said nozzle and ,formed with a\ discharge end directed inwardly toward said face of the plate within the nozzle,'.the said plate being heated by the heat received from the heating chamber.'

3.`l A steam generating and discharging device comprising a tubular shell; aV plate mountedupon one end of Lsaid shell and forming a closure wall forcit; a skirt flange extending outwardly from saidplate and detining a discharge nozzle relatively large in vcross section; an adjustable shield mounted -upon the outer end of said nozzle to slide across 1t for varying the size of the nozzle opening; an electric socket member disposed to close the opposite end of said shell; -an

insulation plug connected to said socket and e5 i forming a closure wall for it; means forming a discharge nozzle directed outwardly from ing coil wound upon circling theplug and heating coll within the shell and provided with a discharge end extending outwardly from the shell into the lnozzle and directed toward the outer face of the said plate therein.

k4f. A steam generating and discharge dev vvice comprising a' plate; means forming a chamber at one face of said plate; means forming a steam discharge nozzle relat1vely large in cross section at the opposite face of l theplate; electrical means orhe'ating said chamber and plate; and a coiled pipe disposed within the chamber and provided with adischarge end extending into said nozzle `and directed inwardly toward the outer face of the plate within the nozzle. v

5. A steam generating and discharging device comprising a plate; mea-ns forming a chamber at one face of said plate; means forming a steam-discharge nozzle relatively large in cross section at the opposite face of the plate; electrical means for heating said chamber and plate; a coiled pipe disposed within the chamber and extending-into said nozzle means within the nozzle to cause'the steam discharged from said coil to directly contact with the outer face of the plate within the nozzle; a water feed pipe leading to said coiled pipe; a manually operable valve to control the flow of water to the coiled pipe through the said feed ipe; and means to restrict the admission o? stream of constant volume when the valve is open.

said water to a small.

6. A device of the class set forth comprising a steam discharge nozzle formed with a discharge opening having a width substan-- tially equal to'that of a hat band; means to heat an inner wall of said nozzle; means to discharge steam into said nozzle; and a transversely adjustable shield mounted at the discharge end of the nozzle and provided with asolid, continuous, impermeable shield area' formed to extend entirely across said nozzle opening and adapted to slide from one side of the opening toward the other side thereof to vary the size of the opening to lcorrespond to hatvbands of different widths.

7. A steam generating and discharging unit comprising a tubular shell closed at one end; a steam discharge nozzle connected to the shell and formed with a discharge opening having a Width substantially equal to that of a hat band; an electric socket member mounted to close the opposite end of the shell; an insulation plug connected to said socket member and extendin inwardly through the shell; an electric heating coil wound upon said plug; and a coiled pi e within the shell and connected to the said nozzle to discharge into it.

8. A steam generating and discharging unit comprising means forming a small chamber; a steam discharge nozzle directly attached to said chamber-forming means separated from the chamber, and formed with a discharge opening having a width substantially`equal to the width of a hat band; heating means within said chamber; and a coiled pipe within the chamber to receive heat from the said heating means, said pipe being connected to the nozzle to discharge into it. i

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

ERNEST E. HODSHON. 

